Appendix I
DWQ Water Quality Monitoring Programs in the White Oak River Basin
Appendices
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DWQ Water Quality Monitoring Programs in the White Oak River Basin Staff in the Environmental Sciences Branch (ESB) and DWQ monitoring programs for the Regional Offices of DWQ collect a variety of White Oak River Basin include: biological, chemical and physical data. The following discussion contains a brief introduction to each • Benthic Macroinvertebrates • Fish Assessments program, followed by a summary of water quality data • Aquatic Toxicity Monitoring in the White Oak River basin for that program. For • Lake Assessment more detailed information on sampling and assessment • Ambient Monitoring System of streams in this basin, refer to the Basinwide Assessment Report for the White Oak River basin, available from the Environmental Sciences Branch website at http://www.esb.enr.state.nc.us/bar.html or by calling (919) 733-9960. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Benthic macroinvertebrates, or benthos, are organisms that live in and on the bottom substrates of rivers and streams. These organisms are primarily aquatic insect larvae. The use of benthos data has proven to be a reliable monitoring tool, as benthic macroinvertebrates are sensitive to subtle changes in water quality. Since macroinvertebrates have life cycles of six months to over one year, the effects of short-term pollution (such as a spill) will generally not be overcome until the following generation appears. The benthic community also integrates the effects of a wide array of potential pollutant mixtures. Criteria have been developed to assign a bioclassification to each benthic sample based on the number of different species present in the pollution intolerant groups of Ephemeroptera (Mayflies), Plecoptera (Stoneflies) and Trichoptera (Caddisflies), commonly referred to as EPTs. A Biotic Index (BI) value gives an indication of overall community pollution tolerance. Different benthic macroinvertebrate criteria have been developed for different ecoregions (mountains, piedmont, coastal plain and swamp) within North Carolina and bioclassifications fall into five categories: Excellent, Good, Good-Fair, Fair and Poor. Overview of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Data There were 7 benthic samples collected during this assessment period. The following table lists the total bioclassifications (by subbasin) for all benthos sites in the White Oak River basin. Benthos sampling may slightly overestimate the proportion of Fair, Poor and Severe stress sites, as DWQ special studies often have the greatest sampling intensity (number of sites/stream) in areas where it is believed that water quality problems exist. For detailed information regarding the samples collected during this assessment period, refer to the tables at the end of this appendix.
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Summary of Bioclassifications for All Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sites (using the most recent rating for each site) in the White Oak River Basin Subbasin
Excellent
Good
GoodFair
Fair
Poor
Not Rated
Severe Stress
Total
03-05-01
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
3
03-05-02
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
3
03-05-03
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
03-05-04
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
03-05-05
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Total (#)
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
3
0
7
Total (%)
0
0
28.6%
0
0
28.6%
0
42.8%
0
100
Natural Moderate
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Data Collected in the White Oak River Basin, (Current basinwide sampling sites are in bold print.) Location County
Map No.
Index No.
Date
ST
EPTS
White Oak R
US 17
Jones
B-1
20-(1)
Starkeys Cr
SR 1434
Onslow
B-2
20-10
Pettiford Cr
USFS Rd Carteret
B-3
20-29-1
6/04 7/99 2/99 3/04 2/99 3/04 2/99
72 70 61 50 93 35 38
21 15 11 11 15 10 10
New R
SR 1314
Onslow
B-1
19-(1)
L Northeast Cr
SR 1423
Onslow
B-2
19-16-2
Harris Cr
SR 1109
Onslow
B-3
19-17-3
6/04 7/99 3/04 2/99 3/04 2/99
76 53 50 62 50 63
SR 1206
Carteret
B-1
21-2
3/04 2/99
Waterbody
BI
BIEPT
BioClass
6.36 7.07 7.11 6.24 7.27 6.13 6.38
5.38 6.16 5.83 -
Good-Fair Good-Fair Not Rated Moderate Moderate Not Rated Natural
13 11 11 15 11 13
6.39 6.40 6.16 6.61 6.24 7.13
5.72 6.08 -
Good-Fair Good-Fair Moderate Natural Moderate Natural
25
6
5.89
-
Not Rated
40
6
6.53
-
Natural
Subbasin 01
Subbasin 02
Subbasin 03 NW Pr Newport R
Assessing Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Small Streams The benthic macroinvertebrate community of small streams is naturally less diverse than the streams used to develop the current criteria for flowing freshwater streams. The benthic macroinvertebrate database is being evaluated and a study to systematically look at small reference streams in different ecoregions is being developed with the goal of finding a way to evaluate water quality conditions in such small streams. A-I-4
Presently, a designation of Not Impaired may be used for flowing waters that are too small to be assigned a bioclassification (less than 4 meters in width) but meet the criteria for a Good-Fair or higher bioclassification using the standard qualitative and EPT criteria. This designation will translate into a use support rating of Supporting. However, DWQ will use the monitoring information from small streams to identify potential impacts to small streams even in cases when a use support rating cannot be assigned. DWQ will use this monitoring information to identify potential impacts to these waters even though a use support rating is not assigned. DWQ will continue to develop criteria to assess water quality in small streams. Aquatic Toxicity Monitoring Acute and/or chronic toxicity tests are used to determine toxicity of discharges to sensitive aquatic species (usually fathead minnows or the water flea, Ceriodaphnia dubia). Results of these tests have been shown by several researchers to be predictive of discharge effects on receiving stream populations. Many facilities are required to monitor whole effluent toxicity (WET) by their NPDES permit or by administrative letter. Other facilities may also be tested by DWQ’s Aquatic Toxicology Unit (ATU). Per Section 106 of the Clean Water Act, the ATU is required to test at least 10 percent of the major discharging facilities over the course of the federal fiscal year (FFY). However, it is ATU’s target to test 20 percent of the major dischargers in the FFY. This means that each major facility would get evaluated over the course of their five-year permit. There are no requirements or targets for minor dischargers. The ATU maintains a compliance summary for all facilities required to perform tests and provides monthly updates of this information to regional offices and DWQ administration. Ambient toxicity tests can be used to evaluate stream water quality relative to other stream sites and/or a point source discharge. Four NPDES permits in the White Oak River basin currently require WET testing. All four permits have a WET limit. Across the state, the number of facilities required to perform WET has increased steadily since 1987, the first year that WET limits were written into permits in North Carolina. Consequently, compliance rates have also risen. Since 1996, the compliance rate has stabilized at approximately 90 percent.
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10
90
9
80
8
70
7
60
6
50
5
40
4 3
30
2
20
1
10
0
0
Compliance (%)
100
19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04
Facilities Monitoring
11
Year No. Facilities
% Meeting Permit Limit
NPDES facility whole effluent toxicity compliance in the White Oak River basin, 1990-2004. The compliance values were calculated by determining whether facilities with WET limits were meeting their ultimate permit limits during the given time period, regardless of any SOCs in force.
Lakes Assessment Program Two lakes in the White Oak River basin (Catfish and Great Lakes) were sampled as part of the Lakes Assessment Program in summer of 2004. Lakes with noted water quality impacts are discussed in the appropriate subbasin chapter. Ambient Monitoring System The Ambient Monitoring System (AMS) is a network of stream, lake and estuarine stations strategically located for the collections of physical and chemical water quality data. North Carolina has more than 378 water chemistry monitoring stations statewide, including 35 stations in the White Oak River basin. Between 23 and 32 parameters are collected monthly at each station. The locations of these stations are listed in the following table and shown on individual subbasin maps. Notable ambient water quality parameters are discussed in the subbasin chapters. Refer to 2005 White Oak River Basinwide Assessment Report at http://www.esb.enr.state.nc.us/bar.html for more detailed analysis of ambient water quality monitoring data.
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Locations of Ambient Monitoring Stations in the White Oak River Basin by Subbasin Subbasin/ Station ID 01 P6400000 P6850000 02 P0600000 P1200000 P2105000 P2113000 P2210000 P3100000 P3700000 P3960000
Location White Oak River White Oak R at SR 1442 near Stella White Oak R at NC 24 at Swansboro New River New R at SR 1314 near Gum Branch New R at US 17 at Jacksonville Brinson Cr at mouth at Jacksonville New R at Wilson Bay at center point New R at channel marker 55 at Jacksonville Little Northeast Cr at SR 1406 near Jacksonville Northeast Cr at NC 24 at Jacksonville 1 Northeast Cr above Paradise Point
2 P4000000 Northeast Cr (above Paradise Point) near Jacksonville P4075000 Southwest Cr at channel marker R2 near Camp Lejeune 3 New R at channel marker 50 near Ragged Point P4087500 P4100000 Southwest Cr at the narrows P4200000 New R at channel marker 47 at Morgan Bay P4400000 Wallace Cr at Main Service Road at Camp Lejeune P4570000 New R at channel marker 43 at Town Point P4600000 New R upstream of Frenchs Creek P4700000 New R at channel marker 37 near Grey Point P4750000 New R at NC 172 near Sneads Ferry P9860000 Intracoastal Waterway at NC 210 near Goose Bay 03 Newport River & Coastal Drainages P7300000 Newport R at SR 1247 at Newport P8700000 Newport R at channel marker G1 at Newport Marshes 4 Calico Cr at SR 1243 at Morehead City P8750000 4 Calico Cr at SR 1176 at Morehead City P8800000 Morehead City Harbor at channel marker G17 near Morehead City P8965500 P9580000 Bogue Sound at channel marker G15 near Salter Path P9600000 Bogue Sound at channel marker R24 at Emerald Isle 04 North River & Coastal Drainages P8975000 North R at US 70 near Bettie P8976000 Ward Cr at US 70 near Otway P8978000 Broad Cr at US 70 near Masontown P8990000 North River at channel marker 56 near Beaufort P9720000 Back Sound at channel marker G3 at Harkers Island P9730000 Core Sound at channel marker R36 near Jarrett Bay Core Sound at channel marker G1 mouth of Nelson P9740000 Bay
Class
Lat.
Long.
County
Map ID
SA HQW SA HQW
34.77486 34.68271
-77.15383 -77.11291
Onslow Onslow
PA1 PA2
C NSW SB HQW NSW SC NSW SC HQW NSW SC HQW NSW C NSW SC HQW NSW
34.84897 34.75304 34.73475 34.73854 34.72783 34.74835 34.73479
-77.51961 -77.43433 -77.44025 -77.42746 -77.42696 -77.32925 -77.35358
Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow
PA3 PA4 PA5 PA6 PA7 PA8 PA9
SC HQW NSW
34.72639
-77.39556
Onslow
PA10
SC NSW C HWQ NSW
34.718 34.69467
-77.40300 -77.42463
Onslow Onslow
PA11 PA12
SC NSW C HQW NSW SC NSW SB NSW SC NSW SC NSW SC NSW SA HQW SA ORW
34.70317 34.68399 34.68839 34.68172 34.66959 34.64669 34.62658 34.57847 34.49724
-77.40405 -77.42621 -77.39716 -77.35857 -77.36359 -77.34756 -77.36771 -77.39893 -77.43887
Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow Onslow
PA13 PA14 PA15 PA16 PA17 PA18 PA19 PA20 PA21
C SA HWQ
34.78054 34.73793
-76.85971 -76.67825
Carteret Carteret
PA22 PA23
SC HQW
34.73383
-76.74269
Carteret
PA24
SC HQW
34.728
-76.73100
Carteret
PA25
SA HQW SA HQW SA ORW
34.69518 34.72414 34.71449
-76.67389 -76.85134 -76.92773
Carteret Carteret Carteret
PA26 PA27 PA28
SA HQW SA HQW SC SA HQW SA ORW SA ORW
34.78901 34.78086 34.8798 34.70372 34.68744 34.74249
-76.61005 -76.57383 -76.41476 -76.59821 -76.56354 -76.49079
Carteret Carteret Carteret Carteret Carteret Carteret
PA29 PA30 PA31 PA32 PA33 PA34
SA ORW
34.85596
-76.40208
Carteret
PA35
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